Do You Need A Lift?
by Kanshu
Summary: Who knew that a little time alone up in the air could make all the difference?


**Ello! While I work on my other multi chapter project, I've been sporadically writing oneshots to give myself some variation. I guess this is Christmas themed? I mean, not really, it's just snow. But I am sure that I will be writing some holiday fic soon too :P Agh, I'm off track. I hope you enjoy! P.S. I changed my username to Kanshu. My irl friends know me as plsmrjailah on the internet, and I didn't want them to find my fanfcition profile, so I changed it to the Japanese word for jailer :P**

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She gripped the handles of her ski poles tightly, and dug them into the snow. She pushed off, and forced her eyes open, as she tried her best to pay attention to where she went. Natsu, Gray, Happy, Cana, Levy, and Wendy stood at the top of the hill, cheering her on. Natsu screamed something behind her, and she turned her head to see him making some weird triangle with his arms. She narrowed her eyes trying to decipher the message when Natsu stopped his signals. His eyes widened and pointed in front of her. Wendy and Levy looked worried while Gray and Cana only grinned down at her. She looked in the direction Natsu's finger and saw a pole in her direct path. Lucy panicked and tried to use her ski poles to stop herself, but she only sped herself up. in desperation and panic, Lucy threw all her weight to one side, which caused her to fall towards the stiff, cold, snow. She landed with a thud, sliding just a little further before stopping completely. A few kids whizzed by her, giggling at her, while they skidded down the hill with ease. On the bunny slope, and she still crashed. She could hear more approach, and ignored it while she thought that if she could just lay there long enough, she would disappear into the snow. A skid near her caught her attention, and the sun darkened above her as the laughing figure of Cana held her hand out to Lucy. Lucy tried to scowl through her glasses, but they didn't allow much expression. Lucy took Cana's hand and noticed the gang came to her rescue.

"Hey Luce, you okay?" Natsu's expression held worry as he tried to inspect her. She waved him off and pouted.

"Did Erza leave?" Wendy shook her head.

"No, she just went to one of the...other slopes." Wendy tried to frame her words in a way that wouldn't be offending, but Lucy knew what she meant. They were all held back by Lucy, again. On this trip she learned something new about herself. She sucked at snow sports. Some of them stayed behind with her, but most of the guild moved on to the other slopes or went back to the lodge. Lucy still tried her hardest to get better than the snickering kids who passed her each time she fell. This whole thing was her fault anyways. She suggested a vacation for the guild, and she did not know what she got into when Gray proposed going to the lodge for a couple of days and playing in the snow. First, Gray tried to teach her how to snowboard, but that was a bust. Skiing was a little better, but only by a smidge. Lucy sighed and looked at her teammates.

"Sorry everyone. I'm holding you back, you should keep going, I think I'm gonna just go up to the lodge." Natsu was the first to protest.

"Come on Lucy, don't give up. Let's go again!" He grabbed her mitten covered hand and led her to the ski lift. Lucy let herself relax a bit, talking to her best friend, trying not to think about going down the hill again. They passed through the gate and got on the chair. There wasn't much conversation happening, due to Natsu's current state, which rendered him helpless in her lap. A position they often found themselves in when on the train, or any type of transportation. She stroked his head, playing with his pink tufts of hair. Time passed, and the peaceful quiet made Lucy completely forget about the stupid bunny slope. But as she closed her eyes, and leaned back, watching her breath in the air, the lift made an awful creaking sound, and the seat stopped mid way on the track. Lucy looked behind her seat to see the men running the machine mashing buttons and yelling at each other. One grabbed a megaphone and tried to tell those on the lift what happened.

"SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE FOLKS, THE LIFT IS PRETTY OLD AND IS HAVING SOME TROUBLE. BUT IT'LL BE RUNNING AGAIN IN NO TIME, JUST SIT TIGHT" Lucy scoffed, where were they supposed to go? She wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. Even though she wore 6 layers, the cold still crept into her clothes and kept her teeth chattering.

"Are you cold Lucy?" Natsu had moved from her lap now that they were unmoving for the moment, keeping his sickness at bay. He also had that worried look again. No point in lying. She turned her head and nodded.

"Yeah, a little bit." Natsu turned his head, so that his face looked out to the slope beneath them. He mumbled something but it was inaudible to hear above the wind.

"What was that Natsu?" Natsu turned to face her.

"If you want, I can warm you up." Lucy smiled at him, hoping he would make the offer. Natsu scooted closer to her. He looked at her sheepishly.

"Okay. So, since this seat is small, I can't really get both arms around you. Unless I moved to the middle-" He scooted closer, this time, spread his legs wide and patted the space between them. Lucy's eyes practically popped out of her head and her face became devoured by a burning blush. "-and then, you sit here, and I can warm you up from all around. A living heater!" Natsu beamed at her, which eased Lucy's mind. He was still oblivious. She nodded, and he scooted even more, so that now, she squished to the side and he was in the middle. He spread his legs a little more, and held his arms up. She moved one leg over, and managed to scramble into the space provided for her. Natsu lowered his arms, and wrapped them around her. Lucy almost fainted. She thought it wouldn't be bad since he was so innocent, but it still felt so intimate. But intimate wasn't bad. Like when they would hug, and it was just so much better than when anyone else would hug her. They just... fit. Being close to Natsu gave her a warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach, and a blush on her face. His grin made her heart smile. Lucy wasn't stupid. She knew how crushes worked. But she would not let herself accept the fact that she could like someone like Natsu. Messy, Loud, Annoying, Oblivious, Ridiculous, Natsu possessed all of the traits. the very traits that Lucy hated in a potential boyfriend. Lucy always thought she wanted someone intelligent and handsome, a man who would treat her like a princess. Someone like Natsu, and Lucy would be running for the hills. But she didn't. She stayed right there in his arms, smiling like an idiot. What was it about him that made him so... desirable? So cute, and loyal, and brave and mischievous? So... Lucy did not let herself get far, and pushed her feelings down again, into the dark depths of her heart, and procrastinated their analysis. As Lucy fought with herself, Natsu placed his chin on her shoulder, and relaxed around her. Her feelings sprang back up, to the forefront of her mind, and Lucy went rigid, trying to calm her self down. Her heart beat a million miles an hour and her face would probably be stained red for the rest of her life. His warm embrace comforted her, and Lucy let her shoulders fall and let her head make a little bump against his. She didn't want to think anymore, and only wanted to feel Natsu around her. She closed her eyes, and before she could stop herself, let a contented sigh slip from her lips. If Natsu noticed, he did not give it away. Without much thought Lucy began to pull her mittens off. She took his hands and clutched them into her now bare ones. Their fingers mushed together and intertwined. Natsu did not move, but his voice ghosted into her ear, and she shivered from something other than the cold.

"What are you doing Luce?" Natsu wasn't protesting, only asking. Lucy came up with a lame excuse.

"My hands were cold too."

"Oh." Natsu shrugged, and Lucy smiled softly and squeezed his hands. He reciprocated and nuzzled into her shoulder. Lucy couldn't help but enjoy the way his nose tickled her neck, sending electric waves through her body. Even if she did let her feelings come out, Natsu was so dense, he wouldn't understand anyways. He wasn't interested in girls. He would never feel the same way. But, there was no hurt in asking, right?

"Nat-" A loud screeching from the megaphone interrupted Lucy and boomed at the skiers and snowboarders on the lift.

"OKAY FOLKS, LOOKS LIKE WE GOT IT TO FREE UP. EXPECT THE LIFT TO BE MOVING AGAIN SHORTLY."

Oh no. Lucy and Natsu simultaneously squirmed in the seat, trying to get free of each other. Lucy finally got to her side of the seat, while Natsu did the same. The lift rumbled back to life, and Natsu fell into her lap once again, groaning the rest of the way up the track. Lucy sighed in relief. Thank god she was interrupted. Her head was clear now and she knew that saying something would have been a huge mistake.

* * *

Cana and levy waited for them by the lifts exit, as they had gotten on the lift before Lucy and Natsu.

"I guess I need to go on that lift myself." Cana smirked at them with a mischievous glint in her eyes, while Levy only giggled.

"H-huh?" Lucy stuttered at her friend, not wanting admit she just cuddled with Natsu on the ski lift, if they had not seen it.

"I mean, we might as well re-name it the Fairy Tail love express. First you two, then Juvia and Gray, hell, now we just have to get Levy up there with Gajeel!" Cana poked Levy in the shoulder, who yelped in response.

"Cana!" Cana smiled and began to retaliate, but Natsu said something first.

"Wait, Juvia and Gray?" Cana and Levy both grinned, and looked at one another.

"Oh, it was nothing, really." Cana stated with nonchalance.

"Nothing?! They totally kissed!" Levy said, screaming it out. Cana had a goofy expression plastered on her face and Levy held her hands against her heart, sighing dreamily. Lucy beamed, so happy her friends could finally find love. Gray and Juvia were only a few seats behind Lucy and Natsu, and when they came off the lift a few minutes later, they chatted as if they had been friends for years. Cana, Levy, and Lucy all smiled and squealed, capturing Juvia and taking her back to the lodge for all the juicy details.

* * *

"Juvia would like to go on the lift with Gray-Sama!" Juvia walked next to gray, bouncing as she did. Gray sighed, and decided not to fight her this time. He answered with silence, and walked into the incoming seat. He fell into it clumsily. Juvia giggled, and sat down after him. The laugh was genuine and Gray nearly forgot that she was his obsessive stalker. The seat floated into the air, gliding at a slow pace, creaking as they were hauled up. Juvia and Gray sat, an awkward feeling injected into their interaction. Juvia spoke first and broke the ambiance.

"Juvia is thankful that she could spend this time with Gray-sama." Gray hated that.

"Juvia... Could you not call me Gray-Sama? I mean, We've been guild mates for a long time now, I don't think you need to address me so formally." Juvia blushed, but that wasn't new.

"Juvia is honored Gray-sama! Oh, Juvia means... G-gray." Juvia looked like she had a hard time not adding the honorific, and Gray chuckled. It was nice to talk to Juvia, when she wasn't going absolutely crazy. Interrupting their chat, the seat jolted, and grinded to halt, causing Gray to fall forward. Juvia gasped and grabbed him with force, pulling him back in his seat. Gray was caught off guard and fell towards her, looking into her face. She may be insane, but she was also beautiful. But Gray would never say that to her. She could very well explode. As he inspected her, he did not realize his face inching closer to Juvia's. He could feel her breath mingle with his, and she leaned in, closing the gap between them. Gray went stiff, and did not move. The kiss was tender, and sweet, but it wasn't right. They shouldn't be kissing, even if it did feel amazing... Gray pulled away before they made any more mistakes, and cleared his throat. Wiping his lips unnecessarily. Juvia covered her mouth in shame, and looked away from him.

"Juvia is so s-sorry... Juvia should n-not have done that." How is she not jumping on him right now? He thought for sure she would freak out about what happened, but a soft hiccup and restrained sob told Gray that she was crying. He pulled her face to look into his, and the tear trails streaked her face.

"What has gotten into you? You're acting all...normal, like a sane human being. You are not sane." Despite his insensitive comment, Juvia's face remained the same.

"Lucy said that if Juvia tried act like she did around other people around Gray, he might open up to Juvia, and she might be able to change his mind about her. Juvia is sane, except when she is around Gray. Juvia knows she is silly. She knows that when she is like this, people do not take Juvia seriously. But if Juvia is ever serious about something, it is that Juvia loves Gray. Because Gray made the rain go away. "

Juvia took his hands away from her face and straightened her back, with her hands in her lap. Gray was astonished. She was right. Juvia declared her love for him plenty of times, yet he never gave it much value. He thought it was never more than just some crush that she would get over. Eventually. But he liked talking to a sane Juvia. One that treated him like an equal and not a god. When he talked this Juvia, he didn't feel exasperated, he felt happy. Gray spoke without thinking.

"I want to get to know you better, Juvia. I don't want you to stare from far away, I want you to say hi, because I really do like talking to you." Gray wasn't a very emotional person, and didn't really open up to people. He surprised himself, for being so forward, especially with Juvia. But it was easy to talk to her, unlike many people. He smiled at her, taking her hands in his. Juvia turned to face him again, with fresh tears in her eyes. Juvia threw her arms around him, and squeezed him tight.

"Thank you, Gray."

* * *

"He llllllliiiiiiikkkkeeesssss you!" Lucy purred at Juvia, imitating a certain blue exceed. Juvia blushed and hid her face.

"Don't be silly! Gray-sama has no feelings for Juvia!" All the girls in the lodge room giggled and sighed at Juvia's emotional ignorance. They began returning to normal conversation. Lucy grinned, feeling like this guild trip wasn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

**I don't know, was the Gruvia part okay? I felt like they were both a little OOC. But I always think I'm writing characters OOC. Also, sorry for the cheesy ending, but what can you do? I'll probably fix it soon, but I can't think of anything good right now :/ I hope you still liked it, and that it gave you nice fuzzy feels ^.^ Thanks so much for reading! Also I know that it would be pretty hard to cuddle like that on a ski lift, but **


End file.
